Improving the CS1 experience with pair programming

Pair programming is a practice in which two programmers work collaboratively at one computer, on the same design, algorithm, or code. Prior research indicates that pair programmers produce higher quality code in essentially half the time taken by solo programmers. An experiment was run to assess the efficacy of pair programming in an introductory Computer Science course. Student pair programmers were more self-sufficient, generally perform better on projects and exams, and were more likely to complete the class with a grade of C or better than their solo counterparts. Results indicate that pair programming creates a laboratory environment conducive to more advanced, active learning than traditional labs; students and lab instructors report labs to be more productive and less frustrating.